08:34 It has been a dry night and the going remains Good to Firm.

A fine day is expected, although there is the possibility of a light shower later this afternoon.

There are currently two non-runners.

13:07 Good afternoon from Chester, where I have finally arrived, although not in good humour –I expect a 140 mile drive to take significantly less than 3½ hours.

I would dearly love to meet the idiot who has designed the race-day one-way system in Chester – I would happily put them out of their sadistic misery.

Anyway, rant over, it is a sunny afternoon with just a few fluffy clouds.

13:50 Very hot here at Chester and a sell out - still some space to move at the moment but am sure that will change in due course.

13:58 Our opening contest is the 5f Trafford Centre Always Ahead Novices Stakes in which, with four non-runners, we only have five going to post.

14:14 Only five runners so the draw was insignificant in this contest, having said that The Thrill Is Gone pinged out of stall one and led from the start.

Immediately behind were Lord Avon and Lexi’s Hero, with the favourite Leiba Leiba next – Fred Willetts was tailed off from the start.

As they swung for home the front four were almost line abreast.

Approaching the furlong pole The Thrill Is Gone and Leiba Leiba pulled clear with the favourite just having the advantage.

However Franny Norton had to work hard to maintain his advantage, Leiba Leiba only coming home a neck clear.

Lexi’s Hero was six lengths further back in third.     

14:32 Another five runner contest for race two, the Trafford Centre High Heel Handicap over 1½ miles.

14:46 A very tactical contest with Park View setting the pace.

Favourite Bowdler’s Magic initially set off in second spot but soon dropped through the field to be last by half way.

Mujdeya and Widezain were trading places for second and third, with Ejteyaaz the whipper in.

By the time they turned for home Park View still had the advantage.

Widezain was asked for an effort but he failed to respond and was soon in reverse.

Mujdeya made progress to challenge, as did Bowdler’s Magic, who came with a late challenge.

The trio were three abreast a furlong out and, in truth, Bowdler’s Magic looked the least likely to win.

However under a strong Royston Ffrench drive he eased ahead to beat the long time leader by half-a-length.

Mujdeya cam home third, with Ejteyaaz fourth and Widezain a very tailed off last.

15:01 Race three sees eight going to the start for the Trafford centre LBD Midsummer Maiden Stakes over a smidgen over 10 furlongs.

Quick Deal was slightly on his toes.

Blissful Moment has two handlers.

Flotation was very relaxed but getting a little warm nonetheless.

Large Scotch was on his toes when he first came into the parade ring with two handlers, after a circuit he was down to just the one handler and quite relaxed.

15:24 It has taken three races but finally a front running performance has paid off as Flotation made all to take this mile and a quarter contest.

  Ellbeedee, who had tracked the leader looked to be making a serious challenge in the home straight and backers of the eventual winner must have had a fright as Franny Norton looked over his “wrong” shoulder and plainly did not see Ellbeedee behind him but luckily rode out a finish.

Favourite Blissful Moment came home third but was unimpressive and it looked as though he did not like the tight, turning track. He was hanging in really hard on the home turn. This run can probably be ignored.

Layla’s Boy was with the pace for most of the contest, eventually coming home fourth.

15:36 Race four is the Trafford centre Inspired Interiors Handicap, a 7f race with seven runners.

15:39 It is getting very busy here now and is getting hard to move around

15:56 Well if you want to see a classic example of a horse stealing a race then watch a replay of this one.

Mark Johnston’s Below Zero set the pace, with stablemate Rule Breaker tracking. Clearly Below Zero was there as the pace setter.

Favourite Cansili Dancer was settled in third spot.

Two out, when you would expect the pacesetter to cede to the stable number one, Adrian Nicholls actually kicked on and pulled well clear of his rivals.

The favourite set off in pursuit but Below Zero had flown and Cansili Dancer was only able to get within 2¾ lengths of the canny winner.    

William Morgan ran on into third for pressure.

16:12 Back to five furlongs for race five, the Trafford Centre Summer Fashion Handicap, our biggest field of the afternoon as ten go to post.

Bertoliver was slightly on his toes and pulling, Lost In Paris is getting warm.

Memphis Man went to post very early and was on his toes.

16:30 A good tactical sprint with six of the ten runners being course and distance winners.
Bertoliver was sent off favourite and he set out to make all, although he never had a commanding lead.

Settled on his quarters were Lost In Paris and Ryan Style, with Falasteen and Hoh Hoh Hoh, who missed the break, tracking the front three.

As they lined up for the very short run-in Bertoliver still had the advantage, but it was not to last as Ryan Style ran on for a clear lead.

However the clear lead was not there for long as Lost In Paris and, more impressively, Green Park both launched late challenges.

The line came in time for Ryan Style, who recorded a half-length victory, Green Park took second spot with Lost In Paris a further half back in third.   

16:43 Our penultimate contest is the 1m 2f Trafford Centre Fashion Parade Claiming Stakes.

Six line up with Sir George being the absentee.

17:04 Riqaab and favourite Trip The Light were the pacesetters in this contest, although the order behind was constantly shuffling.

The shape of the race developed three out with Trip The Light, Lang Shining and Snoqualmie Boy all line abreast.

As they turned for home Lang Shining hit the front and it was race over. Trip The Light was asked to give chase but failed to respond initially, by the time he did begin to make progress it was too late and Lang Shining recorded a ¾ length victory.

Carcinetto came with a late rattle to grab third spot, albeit 2¼ lengths behind the front pair, with Snoqualmie Boy coming home fourth.

17:05 The official crowd figure is 28,743 which may not sound high but in a compact course like Chester it is.

17:17 Our final contests is over the unusual distance of 1m 3f, the Trafford Centre Dining Delights Handicap with eight going to post.

17:37 Another front running performance to finish the card as Inspirina virtually makes all to take the final contest.  

Tilo’s Gem and Novikov tracked the front runner, whilst Destinys Dream and Brouhaha were held up in rear, with the favourite Visions Of Johanna just behind them.

Inspirina still had a good lead as they lined up for the judge and it was Destinys Dream, who had made good progress, who launched a final challenge.

However the leader had enough in hand and he recorded  a 1¼ length victory.
The favourite was a never nearer third, coming home four lengths behind the front pair.

17:44 That’s it from a sunny, boozy Chester. Small fields but a few good finishes.

Now to battle through the crowds to get back to the car.

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.

SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate

Non-runners

14:05
3 Scarlet Rocks (bad scope - SC 09:28
4 Cruise Racer (not eaten up - SC 10:35)
7 Triple Agent (temperature - VC 11:51)
9 Coconut Ice (temperature - VC 08:15)

14:35
5 Kingdom Of Munster (inflamation - SC 09:16)

15:10
3 Gritstone (infection - VC 08:28)

16:50
3 Sir George (temperature - SC 12:56)

Results

14:05 Novice Stakes 5f 16yds

14:35 Handicap 1m 4f 66yds

15:10 Maiden Stakes 1m 2f 75yds

15:45 Handicap 7f 2yds

16:20 Handicap 5f 16yds

16:50 Claiming Stakes 1m 2f 75yds

17:25 Handicap 1m 3f 79yds